Heel



Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,149

A. COCOZELLA HEEL Filed Nov. 28, 1925 iiuwvlah Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

- UNITED STATES 1,691,149 PATENT OFFICE.

ANTHONY COCOZELLA, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OE .NEW JERSEY.

HEEL.

Application filed November 28, 1925. Serial No. 71,989.

This invention relates to improvements in shoes and heels and to improvements in the art of making shoes and heels. As herein lllustrated the invention is particularly concerned with the covering of the breast surfaces of wooden Louis. heels and with the preparation of the heels for the receptlon of the breast coverings.

In accordance with the usual practice the breasts of Louis heels are covered by thin flaps of leather which are split from the outer or grain sides of the soles of shoes to which the heels are attached. These flaps are trimmed to fit the heel breasts and the margins of the flaps are often skived or beveled to produce feather edges. When secured in place the trimmed feather edges of the flaps are flush with the side faces of the heels and are liable to become separated more or less from close contact with the heels as the shoes are worn, or to be loosened bycareless dr repeated handling of the shoes even before the shoes are worn. If, as in some of thecheaper grades of shoes, the edges of the breast flaps are not made thin by skiving, the unskived edges detract from the appearance of the shoe because of the noticeable dilference in tone and texture between these edges and the burnished grain surface on the exposed side of the breast flap.

One object of the present invention is to avoid the unsatisfactory conditions above referred to and with this object in view one feature of the invention consists in the provision of a heel having a recess in its breast surface for the reception of a covering such as a flapsplit from the sole of a shoe, the recess being of less width than the breast face of the heel so that the covering may be fitted within the recess with the opposite edges of the covering hidden from view and protected by heel material at the opposite sides of the recess, and a pleasing paneled effect obtained. As shown, this protecting material is in the form of relatively narrow ribs and the heels are covered in the usual manner by suitable material such as celluloid which overlaps the ribs and is trimmed flush with the inner edges K of the ribs. Also, as shown, the opposite lateral edges of the sole flap are shaped to abut the inner edges of the ribs and the trimmed edges of the overlapping portions of the heel cover, and the recess is of such depth that the exposed face of the flap is flush with the outer surface of the covering on the ribs. The invention is not necessarily limited, however, to a construction in which the portions of the heel cover which overlap the ribs are trimmed flush with the inner edges of the ribs.

In another aspect the invention comprises making a heel with a recess in its breast surface, attaching the heel to a shoe, and covering the recessed portion of the breast surface of the heel by a flap split from the sole of the shoe. .The invention is not necessarily limited, however, to the use of a flap integral with the sole of the shoe to which the heel is attached nor to the attaching of the heel to the shoe before the covering is applied to the heel breast since in some cases it may be desirable to cover the recessed breast surfaces of an unattached heel by a covering which preferably will extend more or less beyond the edge at the junction of the breast and the seat face of the heel for attachment to the shank portion of the sole after the at tachment of the heel to the shoe. In another.

aspect, therefore, invention is to be recognlzed 1n making a heel with a depression or recess in its breast surface and covering the depressed portion of the breast surface.

he invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying which Fig. l is a perspective view of a ladys shoe provided with a Louis heel the breast of which has been prepared and covered in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, partially in section, of the shoe shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 2, crosshatching bein omitted for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the heel shown in Fig. 4, crosshatching being omitted for clearness; and.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view, similar to Fig. 5, illustrating the usual method of arranging the heel covers, crosshatching being omitted for clearness.

drawings, in

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates a 1 leather, has its lateral margins at the front of the heel turned inwardly, as shown at 15, to overlap the opposite edge portions of the breast surface of the heel. A leather flap or leaf 12 split from the rear of the sole 13 of a shoe to which the heel is attached is secured to the breast of the heel between the inturned portions 15 of the covering 11.

Ordinarily a heel breast covermg flap is considerably thicker than the covering for the rest of the heel and in order that the breast flap 12, after being laid against the heel breast, shall be disposed with its outer surface flush with the outer surfaces of the inturned portions 15 of the covering 11, the heel block 10 is made with a shallow recess or depression 14 extending from the top to the bottom of the heel breast. This recess 14 is preferabl made as deep as the thickness of the breast ap minus the thickness of the heel covering in order to obtain the desired flush relation of the exposed surfaces of the the inturned margins of the heel covering. As shown, the width of the recess 14 is less than the full width of the heel so that relatively narrow-ribs 16 areformed adjacent to the opposite lateral edges of the heel breast. The ribs 16 and the recess 14 may be formed by cutting away or otherwise removing material from the breast of the heel or they may be formed by building. up the marginal portions of the heel breast.

Before the heel is attached to the shoe the covering 11 is applied to the rear and sides of the heel in the usual manner, the top and bottom edges of the covering being turned inwardly against the seat and-top-lift engaging faces, respectively, of the heel block. The lateral edge portions of the heel cover; ing are then turned inwardly from the positions indicated by dotted lines at 15, in Fig. 5 to form cover flaps 15 arranged in close contact with the top faces of the ribs 16, as shown at 15 in Fig. 5.

In the process of turning the edge portions or flaps 15 of the heel cover well-known methods are employed to secure pliability of the celluloid, if that is the material employed for the cover, so that when the cover flaps are brought into contact with the ribs 16 they will tend to remain in such position irrespective of whether or not adhesive is employed. It is preferred,,however, to use adheslve for securing both the flaps 15 as well as the body portion of the cover in place.

In case the cover flaps 15 are wider tl an necessary to coverthe rear faces of the ribs 16, or if the flaps are ragged at their edges,

the ragged or excess material is trimmed ofi, the inner edges of the ribs serving as suitable gages for the trimmlng tool to insure smooth and accurate trimming of the cover flaps so that the trimmed edges will be flush wlth the inner edges of the ribs. After the above operations have been performed in connection with the covering of the rear and sides of the heel, as well as the covering of the ribs 16, a top lift 17 will be applied and the heel will be assembled with the shoe and either temporarily or permanently attached thereto but prior to the asemblin of the heel with the shoe the fla 12 of the sole 13 will be turned backwar ly to expose the fitted heelseat portion of the sole.

After the heel has been attached adhesive is applied to the inner surface of the sole flap 12. The flap 12 has the same marginal outline as the heel portion of the sole from which it was split and before the flap can be fitted within the recess 14 in the breast of the? heel the flap must be trimmed to'fit the recess. This trimming of the breast flap preferably takes place after the adhesive has been applied and the middle portionof the flap has been pressed into place against the heel breast at least sufliciently to hold the flap against edgewise displacement relatively to the heel while it is being trimmed. This procedure renders it practicable to employ the inner sides of the ribs 16 of the heel as gages for the trimming tool so as to insure that the trimmed edges of the flap will fit accurately in butting relationship with the inner sides of the ribs 16 and the inner edges of the heel cover flaps 15 which overlap the ribs. After being trimmed the margins of the breast flap will be pressed firmly into the recess in the heel, care being taken to secure the desired close butted oints between the adjacent edges of the breast fla and the cover'flaps 15 and the desired flush relation of the exposed surfaces of the breast and cover flaps. The breast flap then constitutes a cover panel framed by the covered ribs 16. It will be noted that inasmuch as the opposite edges of the breast flap are unexposed it is unnecessary to skive or bevel the edges as heretofore 'in order to impart a finished appearance to the shoe.

Fig. 6 of the drawings shows a wooden heel;

which has been covered in the usual manner, the covering 11 for the rear and sides of the heel having been trimmed ofi at-the opposite edges ofthe face and the breast flap 12* extending the full width of the heel breast. With such an arrangement both the trimmed edges of the heel cover and the trimmed edges of the breast flap are unprotected and exposedto influences tending to separate them from contact with the heel. rangement of the breast flap also tends to incite adesire on the part of a person examining or handling the shoe to test the condition of the edges of the flap with the result that frequently the flap or at least the edges thereof Such an arbecomes loosened or injured and the shoe has not only will it protect the inturned edges of the heel cover 11 but the edges of the heel cover and the inner sides of the ribs 16 will protect the edges of the breast flap. With this improved construction there is no temptation to pry at the edges of the breast flap and the breast flap is prevented from becoming loosened or separated from the heel. Moreover, the neatness and general attractiveness of the heel are increased and there is imparted to the shoe a finished appearance which is lacking when the trimmed edges of the breast flap extend to 'the extreme edge portions of the heel breast as heretofore.

Having described my invention, what I -claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:-

1. A shoe heel having a cover extending around its rear and side faces and overlapping the lateral margins of its breast face, and having a recess formed in itsbody portion between said overlapping portions ofsaid cover to receive a breast covering.

2. A shoe heel comprising a heel blockhaving its breast recessed to provide raised-lateral edge portions and a shallow depression between said raised portions, a cover panel fitting within and filling said depression, and a covering-for the rear and sides of the heel having lateral margins overlapping the raised lateral edge portions at the breast of the heel block and abutting the edges of said cover panel. l

3. An article of manufacture comprising a shoe heel, a cover for said heel composed of thin material and arranged to overlap the breast at the side edges thereof in such manner as to be exposed to view, the said heel having a shallow recess in the breast extending from the top to the bottom which has sharply defined walls with which the edges of the overlapped thin material are flush; a covering of comparatively thick material arranged to be embedded in said recess and with its edges snugly abutting said walls and the edges of the said thin material, and with its exposed face flush with that of the said thin material.

4. As an article of manufacture a heel having a convex portion at the breast thereof, said portion extending from the top to the bottom in 1 of said breast, and laterally to points adj acent the side edges thereof, the lateral terminals or:

said :onvex portion being below the marginal edges of said breast whereby defined receptacles for the marginal edges of a cover for said breast are formed.

5. As an article of manufacture, a shoe heel having in its body portion a depression in the breast thereof for the reception of a breast cover, said depression extending downwardly from the top of said breast and laterally to surfaces spaced inwardly from the side edges of said breast. I

6. As an article of manufacture, a heel block having ribs formed one at each lateral margin of its breast and projecting beyond its breast surface, said ribs extending from the top to the bottom of the breast to protect the lateral edges ofa breast covering to be fitted between them. a 7 The combination in a shoe, of a wooden Louis heel having at each lateral margin of I its breast a rib projecting beyond'the breast surface, a covering for the rear and sides of the heel having inturned portions overlapping said ribs, and a breast covering flap split from the sole of the shoe and shaped to fit within the cavity between said ribs, the height of the ribs beingpredetermined with reference to the thickness of the breast flap and the heel coverin posed surface of the %)I'Q[St flap will be flush with the outer surfaces of said overlapping portions of the heel coverinlg.

v8. That improvement in t e art of making shoes which consists in making a heel with arecess in its breast surface, attachin the heel to a shoe, and covering the recesse portion of the breast surface of the heel by a flap split from the sole of a shoe.

' 9. That improvement in the manufacture of shoes which consists in making a heel with a depression in its breast surface, and cover- .ing thedepressed portion of said breast surto'insure that the exface and the joint between said surface and the sole of a shoe to which the heel is attached.

10.'That improvement in the manufacture of shoes which consists in making a heel wlth depressed portions extending downwardly from the top of the heel breast and forming ribs at the lateral edges of the breast, and fitting a breast covering within sa 1d depressed portions of the heel breast with the edges of said covering abutting against said ribs.

11. That improvement in methods of making heels which consists in forming r1bs one at either lateral edge of the breast of a heel block, said vribs projecting beyond the adjacent portion of said breast surface, and covering the breast surface between said r1bs.

12. That improvement in methods of away material from the heel to form a recess t breast surface and fitting a covering within said recess with the exposed surface of the covering flush with the unrecessed surface of the heel breast. v

13. That improvement in the art of making shoes which consists in providing a recess in the breast of a heel to receive a breast covering flap, attaching the recessed heel to a shoe having a sole the rear portion of which has been split to form a heel breast covering flap integral with the sole, shaping the sole flap to fit Within the recess in the heel, and securing the flap in place Within the recess.

14!. That improvement in the art of finish-- ing heels which consists in recessing the breast of a heel to provide a cavity for the reception of a breast covering and to provide ribs one at each side-of the cavity to protect the edges of the breast covering, applying to the rear and sides of the heel a covering adapted to project beyond the edges of the heel breast, turning inwardly said projecting portionsot' said heel cover against the top surfaces of the ribs on the heel breast, and trimming the edges of the inturn-ed portions of the heel cover which extend beyond the inner sides of said ribs.

15. That improvement in the art of finishing heels which consists in recessing the breast of a heel to provide a cavity for the reception of a breast covering and toprovideribs one at each side of the cavity to protect ribs as gages in trimming oil the edges ofthe heel cover which extend beyond the ribs.

16. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in providing a recess in the breast of a heel, attaching the recessed heel 'to a shoe having a sole the rearportion of which has betn split to form a heel breast covering flap integral with the sole, applying adhesive to the sole flap, partially attaching the sole flap within the recess in the breast face of the heel to prevent edgewise displacement of the flap relatively to the heel, trimming the flap to fit the recess in the heel while the flap is held against edgewise displacement, and completing the attachment of the sole flap to the heel.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 23rd day of November, 1925.

ANTHONY COCOZELLA. 

